title: Thymic function can be accurately monitored by the level of recent T cell emigrants in the circulation.
abstract: Expression of the avian chT1 thymocyte antigen persists on a subpopulation of peripheral T cells enriched in the DNA deletion circles created by alphabeta and gammadelta TCR gene rearrangements. The chT1+ cells are evenly distributed among all of the peripheral T lymphocyte compartments. The levels of chT1+ T cells in the periphery gradually decline in parallel with age-related thymic involution, and these cells disappear following early thymectomy. Experiments in which variable numbers of the 14 thymic lobes are removed in young chicks indicate a direct correlation between the levels of circulating chT1+ cells and residual thymic mass. Measurement of recent thymic emigrants in the periphery thus provides an accurate indication of thymic function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35294-3300, USA.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D019672:Genes, T-Cell Receptor; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018800:Thy-1 Antigens